House electric



Jan. 7, 1930. w. F. EAMES AUTQHATIC STOP ELEVATOR SYSTEM Original FiledJuly 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Will/4m f. [Ir/fies 2"Sheets-Sheet 2 w. F. EAMES AUTOMATIC STOP ELEVATOR SYSTEM OriginalFilel July 14'. 1927 INVENTOR William K fumes A'TTORNEY.

Jan. 7, .1930.

Reiuued Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. EAMES, OFWILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC &MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 'A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYL- VANIA AUTOMATIC-STOPELEVATOR SYSTEM Original 170. 1,715,744, dated June 4, 1928, Serial 170.205,570, filed July 14, 1927. Application for reielue filed November 80,1929. Serial No. 410,849.

M invention relates to control systems and 1t has particular relation tocontrol systems for elevators, hoists and similar apparatus.

One object of my invention is to provide a control system for machinesoperable over predetermined paths wherein the machines may beselectively stopped at any one of a plurality of points along the paths.

Another object of my invention is to provide a control system forelevators of the type wherein the elevator is started by an attendant onthe elevator and is automatically stopped in response to' the operationof passenger-actuated push-buttons, either from within the car or at theseveral landings traversed by the elevator. y

Another object of .my invention is to provide a control system forelevators of the type designated in the preceding paragraph wherein aplurality of cars in a bank are so cont-rolled that the first car toapproach a and floor at which a passenger-actuated means has beenoperated will be stopped at that floor only when travelling in thedirection corresponding to the passengeractuated device operated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a control system forelevators wherein the car is started by an attendant on the car and isautomatically stopped in response ,to passenger-actuated devices, andwherein no mechanical interconnection between the elevator and the.hatchway is required to efli'ect such stops.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suitable relay structurefor accomplishing the result of stopping-the car without mechanicalconnections between thecar and the hatchway.

My device will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view ofone form of my invention as aplied to three elevators operating to serve ve floors;

Fig. 2 is a view, in side elevation, of a relay for use with the systemshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan vlew of the relay shown in Fig. 3. I

. 3D, 2U, and 2D are arranged respectively at the 4th, 3rd and 2ndfloors for actuation by persons desiring to use the elevators.

Each of the elevator carsA, B, and C is provided with a series-ofpush-buttons, one for each of the floors, designated respectively as A4,A3, A2, etc. It will be noted in this figure that only a single buttonfor each of the floors-is provided on the car and, as will behereinafter explained, these buttons may be operated to stop-theassociated elevator car when travelling in either direction.

Inductor relays A100, A101 and A102 are illustrated as associated withthe corresponding down-floor b11ttons'4D,-3D and 2D. A similar series ofrelays A104, A105 and A106. are associated with the buttons 4U, 3U and2U. Similar inductor relays are associated with the carsB and Cdesignated by like reference numerals preceded bythe character B and C,respectively.

Each of the relays A100, A101, etc., is provided with two energizingcoils designated as 107 and 108, respectively, and a holdback coils 109.Referring to Figs. 2 and 3,

the structure of these relays may be readily determined.

' Each of these relays comprises a suitable base 110 upon which coils.107 and 108 are suitably supported, as by supporting members 113 and114. A pair of armature members 115 and 116 are rigidly mounted upon acore 117 extending through the coils 107 and 108 for unitary rotarymovement in the supporting members 113 and 114. Each of the armaturemembers comprises an uprightmember 118, and upper in-turned fasteningportion 119 and a lower in-turned pole face 120. The member 116 also hasa second turned pole face 121 for a purpose hereinafter described. Thepole faces 120 and 121 extend parallel to each other in planes at rightangles to the fastening member 119. 'Rigidly connecting the upperinturned members 119 of both of the armature members 115 and 116 is abar 122 formed'of suitable insulating material upon which may be mountedsuitable contact members 123 and 124.

The contact member 123 is arranged for contacting engagement with asuitable stationary contact member 125, mounted upon the base 110. Thecontact member 124 is arranged for contacting engagement with a suitablecontact member 126 also mounted on the base 110. The contact member 126is pref erably formed of resilient material so arranged that, uponmovement of the contact members 123 and 124 to disengage theirrespectively cooperatingcontact members 125 and 126, the contact member126 will follow through fora short distance, being limited by bracingmember 127. The function of this arrangement is to cause disengagementof contact members 123 and 125 a short time prior to the disengagementof 7 the contact members 124 and 126. In the preferred operation of myrelay illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the relay is mounted in the hatchwayadjacent to the path of movement of the elevator ear, for example, thecar A. The car A car'- ries an inductor plate X so mounted as toapproach closely adjacent to the pole face 120 of the armature members115 and 116, as the elevator calpasses the point at which the rev lay ismounted.

Should either of the coils 107 and 108 be energized at the time theinductor X passes the pole face 120, the magnetic force produced by theenergized coil will cause the armature members 115 and 116 to assume aposition indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. This movement ofthe armature members will cause disengagement ofv the contact members123, 125 and 124, 126.

For a pnrposewhich will be hereinafter described. itis desirable toprevent theactuation of the armature members 115 and 116,

under certain conditions, and, to provide for this effect, a suitablehold-back coil 109 is mounted upon the base 110. The coil 109 isprovided with a suitable core 129, which extends closely adjacent to thein-turned pole face '121 on the armature member 116 when the armaturemember 116 is in tlte normal or full-line position illustrated in Fig.2. This coil 100 is so designed that the effect produced by it, whenenergized,- will be to prevent the actuation of the armature members 115and 116 by the inductor plate X, even though the coil 107 or the coil108 is energized.

Zei'erring again to Fig. 1, the system may best be understood withreference to an as.- sumed operation. Assuming the elevator ear A to beat the first floor, the attendant on the car may acuate the handle ofthe car switch AC8 to the left, thus energizing the up-direction switchAl by a circuit which extends from line conductor Ll through conductors130, the coil of up-direction switch A1, conductor 131, contact members132, 133 and 134 of the car switch ACS, and conductors 135 and 136 toline conductor L2. The up-direction switch A1 operates to energize thedriving motor (not shown) in any suitable manner, and closes aself-holding circuit which extends from line conductor L1 throughconductor 130, the coil of tip-direction switch A1, conductors 131 and137, the contact members A10, conductor 138, normally-closed contactmembers 139 of the inductor relay A104, conductor 140, norn'ially'closedcontact members 141 of inductor relay A105, conductor l42,normally-closed contact members 143 of inductor relay A106 andconductors 144 and 136 to line conductor L2. The attendant on car A mayat any time thereafter, center the car switch ACS without interruptingthe upward moveii'ient of the elevator car A.

Assume, for example, that a person at the second floor desires to travelupwardly and operates the button 2Uat that floor. This operation willcomplete a circuit to energize the coil 145 of the np-inductor relayA106 for the second floor. This circuit extends from line conductor L1through conductor 146, the push-button 2U, hold-down coil 147, conductor148, the normally-closed contact members 140 of the inductor relay A106,conductor 150, normally-closed contact members 151 of inductor relayB106 (corresponding to the relay A106) conductor 152, 'thenormallyclosed contact members 153 of inductor relay C106, and conductor154 to junction-point 155, whence branch circuits extend through onecoil on each of the inductor relays A106, B106 and C106 to lineconductor L2. The branch circuit for the relay A106 extends fromjunction-point 155 through conductor 156, the coil 145 of relay A106 andconductors 1.57 and 136 to line conductor L2. The parallel circuits forthe relays B106 and C106, may readily be seen and will not, therefore,be traced. I

. Asthe car A approaches the second floor, the inductor plate X willpass the relay A106 and actuate this relay to open its contact members143 and 149. As described with reference 'to Figs. 2 and 3, the contactmembers 143 are arranged to open just prior to the opening ofcontactmembers 149. The opening of contact members 143 opens theholdcircuit for the tip-direction switch A1, and

The attendant on car A opens the door, allows the passenger to enter thecarand again starts the car upward by proper movement of the car switchACS.

As may be readily observed from the foregoing description, any of theelevator cars A, B and C which arrive adjacent the second floor,traveling in the upward direction, will operate their respective relaysA106, B106, etc. to stop the car at the second fioor for the passengerwho operated the button 2U. However; should one of the elevator cars A,B, and C pass the second floor traveling downward, the correspondingrelay A106, B106, etc. would not be operated, by reasonof the effect ofthe hold-back coil associated with such relay. Assuming, for example,that theelevator car B approaches the second floor, traveling downward,prior to the arrival of car A at the second floor, traveling upward, theinductor iron X on the car B will approach closely adjacent to theenergized relay B106, but the hold-back coil 158 will prevent this relayB106 from operating, as explained below.

\Vhen the elevator car B is traveling downward, the circuit for thehold-back coils 158, 159 and 160 for each of the up-inductor relaysB106, B105 and B104, respectively, will always be closed by reason ofthe inclusion in this'circuit of the normally-closed contact membersB1?) of the up-direction' to that for which such buttons are operated.

Assuming now that the passenger entering thecar A at the second floordesires to travel to the 4th floor and so informs the attendant on thecar A,the' attendant resses the 4th floor button A4 on the car, t iuscompleting a circuit which extends from line conductor L2, throughconductors 136, 135 and 166, the push-button A4, hold-down coil 167 forthe button A4, and conductor 168 to junction point 169, whence onebranchof the circuit extends, by way of conductor 170, through the coil171 of the relay A104, conductors 172, 173, 174 and 175, contact membersA2b on the down-direction switch A2 and conductors 176, 177 and 130 toline conductor L1. From junction-point 169, another branch of thecircuit extends by way of conductor 178 through the coil 108 of relayA100, conductors 179, 180 and 181, normally-closed contact members A112,and conductors 182,

177, and 130 to line conductor L1. This branch of the circuit, however,will be opened by the operation of rip-direction switch A1 as the carcontinues its upward travel, thus permitting only the coil 171 forup-inductor relay A104 to remain energized.

'As'the car apiproaches the 4th floor, the inductor iron will approachthe relay A104 and open contact member 139 of the relay A104, therebydeenergizing the up-direction switch A1 and stopping the elevator As mayreadily be seen from the description of the circuits for car A at the4th floor.

the coil 171 of relay A104 and the coil 108 of the relay A100, the samepush-button A4 on the car may be used to stop the car when travelingeither upwardly or downwardly,

vator cars in a bank to be made for operation from a common controlmeans at the floors.

The apparatus disclosed is merely illustrative and may be changed'in anysuitable manner without modifying essentials of my invention. I do not,therefore, desire to be limited to the details shown and describedexcept as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a control system for elevators, a car operable past a floor, meansfor starting said car, call means at said floor, call means on said car,means for stopping said car at said floor comprising a relay having twoactuating coils, means for energizing one of said coils responsive tothe actuation of said floor-call means, means for energizing the otherof said coils responsive to the actuation of said car-call means, andmeans operable in accordance with movements of said car for rendering isaid relay operable to stop said car.

2. In a control system for elevators, a car operable past a floor, meansfor starting said car, call means at said floor, call means on said car,means for stopping said car at said floor comprising a relay having twoactuating coils, means for energizing one of said coils responsive tothe actuation of said floor-call means, means for energizing the otherof said coils responsive to the actuation of said car-call means, meansoperable in accordance with movements of said car for rendering saidrelay operable to stop said car, means for maintaining said call meansoperative when actuated, and means operable by actuation of saidstopping means for restoring said call means to inoperative position.

3. In'a relay for elevator-control systems,

a core, an armature mounted on said core, a.

pair of energizable'coils on said core normally mefl'ective to actuatesald armature when 1 energized, and means for rendering either of saidcoils effective to actuate said armature when either of them isenergized.

4. In a relay for elevator-control systems, a core, an armature mountedon said core, a air of energizable coils on said core normalyineffective to actuate said armature when energized, means for renderingeither of said coils effective to actuate said armature when either ofthem is energized, and magnetic means for preventing actuation of saidarmature by said energized coil.

5. In a relay system for elevators, a relay, a coil therefor, means forenergizing said coil, means for maintaining said coil active whenenergized, and means operably responsive to the operation of said relayfor deenergizing said coil.

6. In a relay system for elevator control, a relay comprising a coil, anarmature and a pair of switches operable by movement of said armature,means for energizing said coil, means for maintaining said coil activewhen energized, and means including one of said switches, operable bymovement of said armature for deenergizing said coil, one of saidswitches comprising means for retarding the actuation of saidswitch.

'WILLIAM F. EAMES.

